Shiner Kosmos Reserve

Halfway through the box of Spoetzl Brewery’s Family Reunion, I’m on to the Shiner Kosmos Reserve. Here is an American Pale Lager for my beer belt. Definitely a beer I’ll drink again, unlike the unimpressive Shiner Blonde. The Kosmos Reserve is a “hop-jacked” lager named for the founder of the Spoetzl Brewery.

I poured out the bottle and there was a decent half-inch head, which didn’t stick around too long. It sported a great reddish brown tint in the glass – a beaut. The nose lets me in on a little citrus, faintly sweet. Like I mentioned earlier, they’ve hopped up this lager, not much, but more than enough to give it some real flavor and make old Kosmo’ proud. The aftertaste isn’t strong at all, and doesn’t linger, at least not after one bottle. Mouthfeel was just right, not too bubbly and plenty of taste. Along with the Shiner Black Lager, I’ll take the Kosmos Reserve straight to my beer bank, thank you very much.

I’m about to sit down to curry fried rice and pad thai, so we’ll see how the beer does with a little spicy Thai food. I have a feeling it is going to boom the dynamite. From where I’m sitting, the Spoetzl folk are pretty good at brewing these different lager hybrids. I’ll have to visit the brewery on my next trip to Texas, when I go see my buddy who’s a U.S. Marshal in Laredo. I suppose I’ll have to sample some Mexican brews while I’m there, as well.